WRFK

WRFK was the callsign for an FM broadcast radio station in Richmond, Virginia. As a non-profit station in 1958, it was originally assigned to 91.1 MHz in the non-commercial band by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The station was owned and operated by Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education.

History

The station started in 1959 using elements donated by two commercial Richmond stations, the disgarded FM frequency of WLEE ( who didn't want an FM station ), and the former Wilkerson Rd studio and tower of WRNL-AM ( who had moved to larger facilities on Bethlehem Rd ) Initially, WRFK was a part-time endeavor run by students of the seminary. In 1971 a community group called "Save Fine Music" began to oppose the transfer of the license of another Richmond area station, WFMV. WFMV had a fine music (classical) format throughout its existence, as well as a small, but loyal and influential listener group. However, it was not profitable as a commercial enterprise. The new owners of WFMV, EZ Communications, Inc., wanted to switch to a format more likely to be profitable. As part of the solution to the WFMV sale, WRFK was approached by members of the Save Fine Music group and subsequently agreed to assume the classical music format, which was already similar to its own. WRFK was given the WFMV library by EZ Communications, increased its hours of operation, and became a National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate. This worked out very well for about 17 years, during a period in which FM radio stations became much more popular, and therefore, much more valuable.

In the late 1980s, a decision was made by the school to sell the increasingly valuable commercial frequency. After careful coordination with its classical music listeners and arrangements made for a new station to carry on the format, WRFK was sold to commercial interests in 1988. The new owners of the former WRFK changed both the format and the call sign. The new classical music station (and NPR affiliate) became WCVE-FM and temporarily moved to 101.1 MHz. It then moved to 88.9 MHz in November, 1989. It was operated by the Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Company, the local PBS affiliate which also operated WCVE-TV (Channel 23). Headed by Virginia broadcasting pioneer Bill W. Spiller, the new WCVE-FM transmitter, tower, and studios were located at the Channel 23/57 complex located at 23 Sesame Street in Bon Air.

Grete Dollitz's program, "An Hour With the Guitar" was originally on WFMV, and later on WRFK. After more than 30 years, it is still heard on WCVE-FM, a National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate.

The 106.5 frequency has gone thru a plethora of owners and formats and is now owned by Clear Channel and is now Urban formatted WBTJ. ( see listing for WBTJ for a complete history of the 106.5 frequency in Richmond )

The old WRFK tower is now a being used by a wireless internet company, and the former WRFK studios are currently occupied by non-commercial WAUQ-FM .

See also

*WFMV
*WCVE-FM
*Bill W. Spiller (1926-2004)

Sources

Fisher, Mark D. (2005) "A Brief History of WFMV: Virginia's first stereophonic good music station", [http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/richmondradio/files/ Richmond Radio Group on Yahoo] ; Richmond, VA

External links

* [http://www.ideastations.org/wcvefm/ WCVE-FM information]
* [http://www.ideastations.org/wcvefm/guitar.html "An Hour With the Guitar" information]
* [http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/richmondradio/ Richmond Radio Yahoo Group]